Some countries are using smartphone location data and other personal information to track coronavirus outbreaks or make sure people are staying home. There’s debate among public health experts in the United States about whether and how to follow their lead.
But this isn’t a black-and-white choice between personal liberty and saving lives. Not all citizen surveillance actually works in spotting or stopping illness. Even effective technology requires us to test many more Americans and have health care officials follow up.
Image: Jake Terrell
